Darling of ‘90s country still has it

Thank you, Spotify.

As creepy as the encroachment of social media platforms’ algorithms are, they do serve a purpose. About a month back, our family account on Spotify sent me an email notification that an artist I like would be performing in my area.

To say I like the angelic-voiced-yet-somehow-still-underrated mainstay of ‘90s country music Suzy Bogguss is a bit of an understatement. I have been infatuated with her for 30 years, and since her breakout album, Aces, exploded into my consciousness in the early ‘90s, I had long hoped to see that gorgeous smile live.

Suzy Bogguss is my favorite female artist from that period, and that’s saying something. The ’90s are my preferred era of country music, even as I gain an appreciation for classic country. I saw a lot of country acts live during my single days in the ‘90s, including Chris LeDoux, Mark Chesnutt, Sawyer Brown, Kathy Mattea, Hal Ketchum, The Mavericks, Tricia Yearwood and Mary Chapin Carpenter. But I never managed to see Suzy Bogguss in concert before life took over and impeded my consumption of country music in person.

But Spotify’s intimate knowledge of my fandom and email marketing strategy set in motion a series of transactions that landed Carla and me in the audience July 21 at the Boot Barn Hall, a brand new venue in Gainesville, Georgia, fulfilling one of my bucket list dreams.

I have been struggling since I bought the tickets about a month ago to downplay the show and just how much I admire Suzy’s vocal talent. I did not want to stir any jealousy from my devoted wife of 26 years lest she rethink our attendance.

I managed to keep my obsessive fandom under wraps until we were on our way to the show. I gave myself away when I queued up my Suzy Bogguss Spotify playlist in the car and sang along to every song.

“You really are looking forward to this, aren’t you?” Carla said half surprised, half accusatory.

She’s not accustomed to me getting excited about much.

I played it cool and switched over to a classic country playlist. No needin’ to trigger any suspicious minds. To be honest, I was a little nervous about whether or not Suzy would live up to my unreasonably high expectations. We were all 30 years older, and I wondered if my memories could be trusted or if age had taken a toll on her voice.

I am happy to report, Suzy’s voice has not diminished with age. From the opening strands of “Outbound Plane” to her final encore of “I Want To Be A Cowboy’s Sweetheart,” she was everything I had remembered.

Her between-song banter was lively and playful, though she reminded me a few times too many that she was married to singer songwriter Doug Crider. Congrats on 37 years of marital bliss, Suzy. With Carla sitting next to me, I guess the frequent reminders were helpful.

Still, Suzy genuinely appeared to be enjoying performing and being in the new venue. She was accompanied on stage by Scottish guitarist Craig Smith, who hails from the Orkney Islands, and Welsh stand-up bass player Robert Price. It was the perfect set up allowing Suzy’s vocals to be the centerpiece.

If you’re familiar with her work, you’ll be happy to know she led with her hits, moved into a few songs from her album of Merle Haggard covers titled, “Lucky.” About mid-way through the show, she introduced us to a “smoky” new song, “Too Late to Worry About that Now,” from an album due out in September. She threw in some Americana and folk classics, and she ended with a two-song encore that included an acoustic, off-mic version of “Red River Valley,” in which she conducted us in a sing along. 

Here was the set list:

1. Outbound Plane
2. Just Like the Weather
3. Aces
4. Today I Started Loving You Again (Merle Haggard)
5. Let’s Chase Each Other Round the Room (Merle Haggard)
6. Over You
7. Night Rider’s Lament
8. Other side of the Hill
9. Too Late to Worry About That Now
10. Wayfaring Stranger
11. Drive South
12. Teach Your Children (Graham Nash)
13. It Doesn’t Matter Anymore (Buddy Holly)
14. Letting Go
15. Hey, Cinderella
16. First encore, all acoustic, Red River Valley
17. Second encore, “I Want to be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart.”

She yodeled the last few bars of “I Want to Be A Cowboy’s Sweetheart,” and I had an even stronger motivation to become a cowboy. Before scooting off stage she thanked the audience for coming out and blew us all kisses.

I was undone.

“Did you see that?” I said to Carla, beaming. “Suzy Bogguss blew me a kiss.”

“Oh, she did, huh? Just you?”

“Yep. It was just for me.”